Tuesday, December 14, 2004

Murder, Melbourne and Me

Caught up with a mate who works with my most previous next door neighbor. Turns out the bloke who moved into my house in Collingwood when I left was the infamous gangster, author and funny-man, Mark Brandon 'Chopper' Read. When I lived there, Chopper only lived in the next street. I would see him regularly at the local milkbar or sitting outside his fave pub, The Leinster Arms.

There is an underworld war going on right now in Melbourne. It is BIG, with more than 25 killings in the past four years. The morning after one of the murders Chopper was interviewed by all Australia's media in the sun outside The Leinster Arms.

I was nearby buying milk. Couldn't help but stare. Who wouldn't? My gob-smacked looking agitated Chopper's burly, hanger-on minders. Even through their prison style Oakleys you could read their thoughts buzzing wisdom. "Who IS this cunt? What's he doing? Is he okay?"

Had to go. Real quick.

"But don't get me wrong, for a one time toe-cutter, knee-capper and killer of 19 men (in my lighter moments), swapping my four ten for a HB2.0 is not without it's price. It could happen someday, that someone asks me for my autograph and while I'm busying myself with the pen, they put a bullet in my head. Not really a desirable outcome for me is it!" From Chopper Read's website.

But that's not my only connection to the Melbourne crime scene....

I have a friend. He killed somebody. It happened when he was doing his work. He didn't mean to kill. An inquest agreed. There was no jail. It was front page news.

It doesn't end there.

The person my friend killed, lived in the house I live now and grew up in. His bedroom was my bedroom.

This is a personal and not for profit weblog. Copyright? Everything I write is owned by me. BUT. You may quote articles from this website as long as you link back to the original. Do not cut'n'paste entire articles onto your website or forums. Instead quote a couple of sentences and guide your readers back here to read the original.

If you're a news website, you can quote me and link back to the original.

If you're a company and you want anything from this blog on your company's website or marketing materials, you will need to pay me with MONEY before doing so. Email me to make your offer.

If you are a spammer and you want to use my stuff or leave your incomprehensible bulldust on my site, you can go get f#cked.